Self-cleaning frothing appliance

ABSTRACT

An automated self-cleaning frothing appliance includes: a housing having a base, a tower extending upwardly from the base, and a canopy extending from an upper portion of the tower above the base; a vessel mounted beneath the canopy, the vessel having an outlet at a lower end; a frothing tool extending from the canopy into the vessel; a first fluid pathway in the housing to receive water from a water source and deliver water into the vessel; a valve positioned to selectively open and close the outlet to the vessel; a valve-opening mechanism attached to the housing to selectively open and close the valve; a drain positioned beneath the outlet to receive water draining from the outlet; a second fluid pathway routed from the drain to deliver water to an external receptacle; and a controller operatively connected with the drive unit, the first fluid pathway and the valve-opening mechanism.

Related Application

The present application claims priority from and the benefit of U.S.Provisional Patent Application Nos. 63/251,781, filed Oct. 4, 2021;63/271,394, filed Oct. 25, 2021; 63/318,688, filed Mar. 10, 2022; and63/325,000, filed Mar. 29, 2022, the disclosures of which are all herebyincorporated herein by reference in full.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to appliances, and moreparticularly to frothing appliances.

BACKGROUND

Coffee drinks, such as cappuccinos, are very popular both in the homeand at retail providers. One challenge with making such coffee drinks isfrothing milk, such that a specialized device is often required tosuitably froth milk. Froth milk can be added to a coffee base as a foamy“head”.

For retail providers, it may be desirable for the process of frothingmilk and/or other ingredients and dispensing the same to be done via anovel appartus, thereby reducing time and labor in the preparation ofmultiple servings of a frothed beverage.

SUMMARY

As a first aspect, embodiments of the disclosure are directed to anautomated, self-cleaning, frothing appliance. The appliance comprises: ahousing having a base, a tower extending upwardly from the base, and acanopy extending generally horizontally from an upper portion of thetower and above the base; a vessel mounted beneath the canopy, thevessel having an open upper end and an outlet at a lower end; a frothingtool extending from the canopy into the vessel, the frothing tool beingoperatively connected with a drive unit mounted in the housing; a firstfluid pathway in the housing configured to receive water from a watersource and routed to deliver water into the vessel; a valve positionedto selectively open and close the outlet to the vessel; a valve-openingmechanism attached to the housing configured to selectively open andclose the valve; a drain positioned beneath the outlet to receive waterdraining from the outlet; a second fluid pathway routed from the drainand configured to deliver water to an external waste water receptacle;and a controller that is operatively connected with the drive unit, thefirst fluid pathway and the valve-opening mechanism.

As a second aspect, embodiments of the disclosure are directed to anautomated self-cleaning frothing appliance comprising: a housing havinga base, a tower extending upwardly from the base, and a canopy extendinggenerally horizontally from an upper portion of the tower and above thebase; a vessel removably mounted beneath the canopy, the vessel havingan open upper end and an outlet at its lower end; a frothing toolextending from the canopy into the vessel, the frothing tool beingoperatively connected with a drive unit mounted in the housing; a firstfluid pathway in the housing configured to receive water from a watersource and routed to deliver water into the vessel; a valve positionedto selectively open and close the outlet to the vessel; a valve-openingmechanism attached to the housing configured to selectively open andclose the valve; a cupholder positioned beneath the outlet andconfigured to hold a cup during froth dispensing, the cupholderincluding a drainage section and configured to receive water from thevessel; a second fluid pathway routed from the drainage section of thecupholder and configured to deliver water to an external waste waterreceptacle; a cupholder lifting mechanism mounted to the housing andattached to the cupholder that is configured to raise and lower thecupholder relative to the base; and a controller that is operativelyconnected with the drive unit, the first fluid pathway, thevalve-opening mechanism; and the cupholder lifting mechanism.

As a third aspect, embodiments of the disclosure are directed to amethod of operating a frothing appliance. The method comprises:

-   -   (a) filling a vessel with liquid to be frothed;    -   (b)mounting the vessel on a housing of an automated frothing        appliance;    -   (c) driving a frothing tool mounted to the housing, the frothing        tool extending within the vessel, to froth the liquid within the        vessel;    -   (d) opening a valve in the vessel with a first mechanism mounted        to the housing, wherein the opening of the valve enables frothed        liquid to drain into a cup beneath the vessel;    -   (e) passing water from an external water source through the        housing and into the vessel;    -   (f) closing the valve to the vessel via the mechanism;    -   (g) agitating the water in the vessel with the frothing tool;        and    -   (h) opening the valve with a second mechanism to permit water to        drain through the outlet in the vessel into a drain mounted on        the housing, the drain leading to an external waste water        receptacle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a frothing appliance according toembodiments of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the frothing appliance of FIG. 1with the housing shown in transparent form to permit illustration ofinternal components.

FIG. 3 is a partial bottom perspective view of the frothing appliance ofFIG. 1 showing the vessel and the underside of the canopy.

FIG. 4A is a front perspective view of the vessel of the frothingappliance of FIG. 1 , with the gate in its closed position.

FIG. 4B is a partial top rear perspective view of the vessel of FIG. 4A,

FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of the tube of the vessel of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view of the gate of the vessel of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 7 is a partial front perspective view of the frothing appliance ofFIG. 1 with the vessel mounted thereon.

FIG. 8 is a partial bottom perspective view of the canopy, frothing tooland showerhead of the appliance of FIG. 1 with the vessel removed.

FIG. 9 is a front perspective view of the frothing appliance of FIG. 1during frothing.

FIGS. 10A and 10B are side views of the solenoid and vessel of thefrothing appliance of FIG. 1 , with the gate of the vessel in its closedposition (FIG. 10A) and open position (FIG. 10B).

FIG. 11 is a front perspective view of the frothing appliance of FIG. 1during dispensing of frothed liquid into a cup, with the gate of thevessel it its open position to allow froth to drain into the cup.

FIG. 12 is a front perspective view of the frothing appliance of FIG. 1during a first rinsing step, with the gate of the vessel in its openposition to allow rising water to drain into the outlet in thecupholder.

FIG. 13 is a front perspective view of the frothing appliance of FIG. 1during a second rinsing step, with the gate of the vessel in its closedposition.

FIG. 14 is a front perspective view of the frothing appliance of FIG. 1during the draining of rinsing water following the second rinsing step,with the gate of the vessel in its open position.

FIG. 15 is a front perspective view of the frothing appliance of FIG. 1after the second rinsing step, with the gate of the vessel in its closedposition, such that the frothing appliance is ready for another frothingoperation.

FIG. 16 is a front perspective view of a frothing appliance according toalternative embodiments of the invention, with the head of the frothingappliance shown in a lowered position.

FIG. 17 is a front perspective view of the frothing appliance of FIG. 16, with the head shown in a raised position.

FIG. 18 is a front perspective view of a frothing appliance according tofurther embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a frothing appliance according toadditional embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 20 is a top perspective view of the frothing vessel of the frothingappliance of FIG. 19 .

FIG. 21 is a top view of the frothing vessel of FIG. 20 .

FIG. 22 is a side section view of the frothing vessel of FIG. 20 , withthe poppet valve in the closed position.

FIG. 23 is a side section view of the frothing vessel of FIG. 20 , withthe poppet valve in the open position.

FIG. 24 is a perspective view of a frothing appliance according tofurther embodiments of the invention.

FIGS. 25A-C are perspective views of the frothing appliance of FIG. 24 ,with the cupholder shown in lowered, intermediate and raised positions.

FIG. 26 is a partial top, rear perspective view of a drive unit for afrothing appliance, wherein the drive unit raises and lowers thecupholder according to embodiments of the invention.

FIGS. 27A-27C are rear perspective views of the drive unit and cupholderof FIG. 26 in lowered, intermediate and raised positions.

FIGS. 28A-28D are side views of the drive unit and cupholder of FIGS.27A-27C shown in lowered (FIGS. 28A and 28B), intermediate (FIG. 28C)and raised (FIG. 28D) positions.

FIGS. 29A-H are side views of the poppet valve and its lift mechanismaccording to embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 30A is an enlarged partial perspective view of the cupholder of thefrothing appliance of FIG. 26 .

FIG. 30B is a side section view of the cupholder of FIG. 30A.

FIG. 31A is side section view of the cupholder of FIG. 30A beneath thevessel of the frothing appliance of FIG. 26 prior to releasing thepoppet valve.

FIG. 31B is a side section view of the poppet valve and vessel of FIG.31A showing the poppet valve lifted by the cupholder to its rinseposition.

FIG. 32A is a partial rear exploded perspective view of a frothingappliance according to additional embodiments of the invention, whereinthe drainage basin forms part of the rear wall of the tower and it isdetachable therefrom.

FIG. 32B is a side section view of the frothing appliance of FIG. 32A,with the drainage basin inserted into position to receive water from thedrain.

FIG. 33A is a rear perspective view of a frothing appliance according tofurther embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 33B is a side section view of the frothing appliance of FIG. 33A,with the cupholder and drainage shown in a lowered position.

FIG. 33C is a side section view of the frothing appliance of 33A, withthe cupholder and drainage segment shown in a raised position.

FIG. 34 is a partial side view of a frothing appliance according tofurther embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 35 is an enlarged, partial bottom perspective view of the valve andactuating mechanism of the frothing appliance of FIG. 34 .

FIG. 36A is a side section view of the frothing appliance of FIG. 34with the valve in a closed position.

FIG. 36B is a side section view of the frothing appliance of FIG. 34with the valve in an open position for dispensing into a cup.

FIG. 36C is a side section view of the frothing appliance of FIG. 34with the valve in an open position for rinsing, wherein the cupholder israised to collect the rinse water.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present appliance disclosure is described more fully hereinafterwith reference to the accompanying drawings, in which variousembodiments are illustrated. This disclosure may, however, be embodiedin many different forms and should not be construed as limited to theembodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided sothat this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully conveythe scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. In the figures, thethickness of certain lines, layers, components, elements or features maybe exaggerated for clarity.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention.Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientificterms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by oneof ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will befurther understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly useddictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that isconsistent with their meaning in the context of the specification andrelevant art and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overlyformal sense unless expressly so defined herein. Well-known functions orconstructions may not be described in detail for brevity and/or clarity.

As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended toinclude the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify thepresence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements,and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of oneor more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements,components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or”includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associatedlisted items. As used herein, phrases such as “between X and Y” and“between about X and Y” should be interpreted to include X and Y. Asused herein, phrases such as “between about X and Y” mean “between aboutX and about Y.” As used herein, phrases such as “from about X to Y” mean“from about X to about Y.”

It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “on”,“attached” to, “connected” to, “coupled” with, “contacting”, etc.,another element, it can be directly on, attached to, connected to,coupled with or contacting the other element or intervening elements mayalso be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being,for example, “directly on”, “directly attached” to, “directly connected”to, “directly coupled” with or “directly contacting” another element,there are no intervening elements present. It will also be appreciatedby those of skill in the art that references to a structure or featurethat is disposed “adjacent” another feature may have portions thatoverlap or underlie the adjacent feature.

Spatially relative terms, such as “under”, “below”, “lower”, “over”,“upper”, “lateral”, “left”, “right” and the like, may be used herein forease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship toanother element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It willbe understood that the spatially relative terms are intended toencompass different orientations of the device in use or operation inaddition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if thedevice in the figures is inverted, elements described as “under” or“beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “over” theother elements or features. The device may be otherwise oriented(rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the descriptors ofrelative spatial relationships used herein interpreted accordingly.

It will also be understood that, as used herein, the terms “example,”“exemplary,” and derivatives thereof are intended to refer tonon-limiting examples and/or variants embodiments discussed herein andare not intended to indicate preference for one or more embodimentsdiscussed herein compared to one or more other embodiments.

Referring now to the drawings, an automated self-cleaning frothingappliance, designated broadly at 10, is shown in FIGS. 1-12 . Theappliance 10 includes a generally C-shaped housing 12 with a base 14, atower 16 that extends upwardly from the rear end of the base 14, and anoverhanging canopy 18 that extends forwardly from the upper end of thetower 16. The base 12 includes a cup tray (or cupholder) 20 that has agenerally circular recess or drain 22 for receiving a cup. The recess 22has an outlet 24 near its center that leads to a drain line 26 (shownschematically in FIG. 2 ); the drain line 26 may be fluidly connectedwith an external waste water receptacle, such as plumbing that conveyswaste water from the premises, and thus defines a fluid pathway 27between the drain 24 and the external waste water receptacle.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the tower 16 houses a water inlet line 28 that isfluidly connected to an external water source (shown schematically at 30in FIG. 2 ), such as plumbing that conveys water into and through thepremises or a dedicated water reservoir attached to the housing 12. Thewater inlet line 28 is routed upwardly within the tower 16, thenforwardly into the canopy 18 to an annular showerhead 32 (see also FIGS.3 and 8 ), and as such, defines a fluid pathway 29 between the watersource 30 and a frothing vessel 60 discussed below. A solenoid 34 ismounted on the forward wall 16 a of the tower 16; the solenoid 34includes a rod 36 that extends through the front wall 16 a (see alsoFIG. 8 ). The solenoid 34 and rod 36 are components of a valve-openingmechanism 37 that opens a gate 64 discussed below. Further, a cup sensor38 (typically an electric eye or the like) is mounted to the front wall16 a and positioned to detect the presence of a cup positioned on thecupholder 20.

Referring again to FIG. 2 , and also to FIGS. 3 and 8 , a motor 40 orother drive unit is mounted in the canopy 18 above an opening 42 withinthe showerhead 32. A frothing tool 44 having a shaft 46 and an agitator48 is mounted to the motor 40, with the shaft 46 extending downwardlythrough the showerhead 32 and the agitator 48 being mounted on the lowerend of the shaft 46. The agitator 48 may be of many differentconfigurations that are suitable for frothing, but in some embodimentsmay be conical in shape, such as that described in U.S. PatentPublication No. 2019/0328171 to Leppert, the disclosure of which ishereby incorporated herein by reference in full.

As can be seen in FIGS. 4A-6 , a frothing vessel 60 is generallycylindrical, with a tube 61 having a side wall 62 that is open at itsupper end. The lower end of the vessel 60 is covered with a pivotinggate 64 that acts as a valve for the vessel 60. The gate 64 (FIGS. 4A,4B and 6 ) has a floor 66, a rim 68, and a projection 70 that extendsrearwardly from the rim 68. The projection 70 has a bearing surface 73.At its front end, the rim 68 has a gap 69 that extends downwardly to thefloor 66. Two flanges 72 extend rearwardly from the rear of the sidewall 62 of the tube 61 and sandwich the projection 70. A pin 74 extendsbetween the flanges 72 and through the projection 70 to define a pivotaxis A. As shown in FIG. 4B, a torque spring 76 encircles the pin 74 andengages the projection 70 and the flanges 72 to bias the gate 64 towarda closed position, in which the gate 64 covers the lower end of thevessel 60. The floor 66 of the gate 64 also has a gasket 78 on theperiphery of its upper surface that is positioned to engage and providea seal with the lower edge of the side wall 62 (in some embodiments, thegasket 78 may be overmolded into the gate 64 during manufacturing).

The frothing vessel 60 can be removably mounted on the housing 12 bypositioning a small hook 80 that extends rearwardly from the side wall62 within a pocket 84 in a ledge 82 that projects forwardly from thefront wall 16 a (see FIGS. 3, 7 and 8 ). Also, as shown in FIG. 8 , twofingers 86 that depend from the lower surface of the canopy 18 form achannel 88 into which the upper edge of the tube 61 can fit. When sopositioned, the upper edge of the side wall 62 of the tube 61 engagesthe lower surface of the canopy 18. In some embodiments, either theupper edge of the tube 61 or the lower surface of the canopy 18 includesa gasket, O-ring, or other sealing device to provide a seal between thetube 61 and the canopy 18. Also, as shown in FIG. 8 , in someembodiments a spring-loaded plunger 90 is positioned within the channel88 to urge the vessel 60 downwardly and “lock” it into place.

When mounted as described above, the vessel 60 is positioned on thehousing 12 for frothing. Notably, the bearing surface 73 of theprojection 70 of the gate 64 is positioned directly in front of the rod36 of the solenoid 34 (see, e.g., FIGS. 2, 10A and 10B).

Shown schematically in FIG. 2 , the appliance 10 includes a powercircuit 100 that is operatively connected with an external power source102 (such as a wall outlet or the like). The power circuit 100 is alsooperatively connected with a controller or processor 104 that, in turn,is connected with the cup sensor 38, the solenoid 34, the motor 40, andin some instances a pump (not shown) for conveying water in the waterinlet line 28.

In operation, a user (such as a barista working in a coffee shop)disengages the frothing vessel 60 from the appliance 10 and fills thevessel 60 with the ingredients (typically milk and perhaps someflavoring ingredients) to be frothed. The vessel 60 is replaced on theappliance 10 in the manner described above, with the hook 80 of thevessel 60 received in the pocket 84 of the ledge 82, and the upper edgeof the side wall 62 of the tube 61 received in the channel 88 andengaging the lower surface of the canopy 18 (see FIG. 7 ). In thisposition the shaft 46 and agitator 48 of the frothing tool 44 extendinto the vessel 60, with the agitator 48 at least partially immersed inthe liquid in the vessel 60.

The user places a cup C in the recess 22 of the cupholder 20, where itcan be detected by the cup sensor 38 (FIG. 9 ). The user then activatesthe appliance 10 (typically by manipulating a button, dial, or thelike). If the cup sensor 38 detects the presence of a cup, the motor 40rotates the frothing tool 44 within the vessel 60 at a speed (e.g., 0 to6000 rpm) and/or for a duration (e.g., 0 to 20 seconds) sufficient tofroth the liquid. As an example, a ¼ cup of milk is typically frothed at4000-6000 rpm for 8-12 seconds.

Once frothing is complete (again, typically based on a preselectedduration), the controller 104 signals the solenoid 34 to actuate, whichcauses the rod 36 to extend forwardly into the bearing surface 73 of theprojection 70 of the gate 64. Such extension causes the upper end of theprojection 70 to move forwardly, which in turn pivots the gate 64 aboutthe axis A (this pivotal movement is clockwise from the vantage point ofFIGS. 10A and 10B). Pivoting of the gate 64 draws the front end of thegate 64 downwardly and away from the side wall 62, such that the floor66 of the gate 64 tilts downwardly from rear to front (FIGS. 10B and 11). In this orientation, foamed liquid in the vessel 60 is free to slidedown the floor, through the gap 69 in the rim 68 (which can act as aspout or outlet), and into the cup C below.

Typically, the angle of the floor 66 is between about 15 and 60 degrees(e.g., 25-40 degrees), which may be sufficient to urge, via gravity,frothed liquid to slide down the floor 66 and into the cup. Frothedliquid contains a great deal of air, such that the density of the liquiddecreases upon frothing. Frothing the liquid into a foam also increasesthe viscosity of the liquid. The decrease in density and the increase inviscosity act to resist the tendency of the frothed liquid to flow outof the gate 64 and into the cup C. Tilting of the gate 64 as describedcan encourage frothed liquid to flow into the cup C. Such flow may alsobe impacted by the width of the gap 69 in the rim 68 of the gate 64; insome embodiments, the gap 69 may be between about 0.75 and 2 inches(e.g., 1-1.5 inches).

Once the frothed liquid has flowed into the cup C, the user may removethe cup C (which now has a frothed head atop the beverage therein) fromthe cupholder 20. Removal of the cup C is detected by the cup sensor 38,which signals the water source to provide water to the vessel 60 throughthe fluid pathway 29; water flows through the water inlet line 28 to theshowerhead 32, is sprayed into the vessel 60 (which still has an opengate 64) for rinsing, and drains into the recess 22 and drainage outlet24 for removal along the fluid pathway 27 (FIG. 12 ). This action canprovide automated cleaning of the vessel 60.

After a preselected duration (e.g., 2 to 5 seconds), the controller 104signals the solenoid 34 to retract the rod 36. This action causes thegate 64, which as noted above is biased toward the closed position bythe torque spring 76, to close. Water continues to flow into the closedvessel 60 until it is partially filled. The controller 104 then signalsthe motor 40 to rotate the frothing tool 44 to agitate the water in thevessel 60 for more thorough cleaning (FIG. 13 ). This second rinsingstep continues for a set duration (e.g., 2 to 5 seconds), after whichthe controller 104 deactivates the motor 40. The controller 104 alsoactuates the solenoid 34 again, causing the gate 64 to open to allow thewater from the second rinsing to drain into the recess 22 and outlet 24(FIG. 14 ). After a preselected duration (e.g., 2 to 5 seconds), thecontroller 104 signals the solenoid 34 to retract the rod 36 once again,thereby allowing the gate 64 to close (FIG. 15 ). At this point theappliance 10 is ready to perform another frothing.

The foregoing demonstrates that the frothing appliance 10 is capable ofhighly automated frothing and rinsing, only requiring the user to fillthe vessel 60 with frothing liquid, place the cup C on the cupholder 22,activate the appliance 10, and remove the cup C once the frothed liquidhas been dispensed into the cup C. The appliance 10 can complete theremaining tasks for frothing and cleaning without requiring interventionfrom the user.

Those of skill in this art will appreciate that the frothing appliancemay take different forms than those described. As one example, ratherthan relying on the interaction between (a) the hook 80 and the ledge 82and (b) the upper edge of the tube 61 in the channel 88 to mount thevessel 60 on the housing 12, the frothing appliance may employ magnetsor the like in the vessel 60 and the canopy 18 to mount the vessel 60.As another example, the torsion spring 76 may be omitted, and magnetsmay be included in the projection 70 that attract the rod 36 of thesolenoid 34 to bias the gate 64 toward the closed position. As a furtherexample, the cup sensor 38 may be located elsewhere on the frothingappliance 10 (for example, it may be positioned in the recess 22), or itmay be omitted. As still another example, the frothing tool 44 may havea different configuration, and in particular the agitator 48 may beformed as a series of blades, fins or the like.

Another variation may utilize a servo device or other linear actuator inlieu of the solenoid 34 to drive the valve-opening mechanism. As anadditional variation, in some embodiments the gate 64 may be openedduring some or all of the frothing step, such that draining can beginimmediately.

As a further variation, the frothing appliance may include a sensormounted on the tower above the cup sensor 38 that can detect the heightof foam added to the cup C. In this embodiment, the draining of frothwould terminate once the desired height was reached, with any frothremaining in the vessel being rinsed out with water in the first rinsingoperation.

As a still further variation, FIGS. 16 and 17 illustrate a frothingappliance 110 that employs a vessel 160 similar to the vessel 60.However, the frothing appliance 160 has a head 119 that is tiltablerelative to the tower 116 of the housing 112. As can be seen in FIGS. 16and 17 , the head 119 can be pivoted about a pivot axis B relative tothe tower 116. The motor (not shown), the shower head 128, and thefrothing tool 144 are all mounted to the head 119 and pivot therewith.The vessel 160 is mounted in an opening in the canopy 118. Thus, loadingand unloading of the vessel 160 differ from the steps described above,but after the vessel 160 is mounted on the canopy 118 and the head 119is lowered to the position shown in FIG. 16 , the frothing operation canproceed in the same manner described above.

A variation of the frothing appliance 110 is illustrated in FIG. 18 anddesignated at 210. In the frothing appliance 210, rather than the headpivoting to allow mounting and removal of the frothing vessel 260, thehead 219 slides vertically relative to the housing 212.

Another embodiment of an automated self-cleaning frothing appliance,designated broadly at 310, is shown in FIGS. 19-23 . The frothingappliance 310 is generally similar to the frothing appliance 10, bututilizes a different frothing vessel 360, and relies on a differentvariety of valve (i.e., a poppet valve 380) to control draining of foamand liquid from the frothing vessel 360. These components are describedbelow.

Referring to FIGS. 20-23 , the frothing vessel 360 is oblong incross-section, with a side wall 361 defining the oblong shape. Aneccentric funnel 362 depends from the side wall 361, such that its lowerend 363 is offset toward the front end of the frothing vessel 360. Anoutlet 364 extends from the lower end 363 and is positioned above thecupholder 322.

As shown in FIG. 22 , the front wall 362 a of the funnel 362 defines anangle F1 relative to vertical, wherein F1 is typically between about 40and 60 degrees. The rear wall 362 b of the funnel 362 defines an angleF2 relative to vertical, wherein F2 is typically between about 20 and 40degrees. The outlet 364 typically has a diameter of between about 1.25and 1.75 inches. The angles F1, F2 and the diameter of the outlet 364are selected to encourage draining of foamed liquid from the frothingvessel 360.

As show in FIGS. 20-23 , the poppet valve 380 includes an upper rod 381,a stopper 382, and a lower rod 383. The upper and lower rods 381, 383are slidably received in upper and lower alignment framework 366, 368 ofthe frothing vessel 360 to ensure substantially vertical movement of thepoppet valve 380. The stopper 382 is round (see FIG. 21 ), with a convexupper surface 385 and a conical lower surface 387. The stopper 382 issized to fill and seal the outlet 364 of the frothing vessel 360.

At its upper end, the poppet valve 380 includes a magnet 388 (FIGS. 20and 21 ). A solenoid 390 (schematically shown in FIGS. 22 and 23 ) islocated above the magnet 388 in the canopy 318 of the housing 312 of thefrothing appliance 310 and acts as a valve-opening mechanism. Thesolenoid 390 is connected to the controller 392. As can be envisionedfrom FIGS. 22 and 23 , When the solenoid 390 is not energized, gravitycauses the poppet valve 380 to take a lowered position (FIG. 22 ), inwhich the stopper 382 seals the outlet 364 and prevents liquid fromdraining from the frothing vessel 360. Energizing the solenoid 390 viathe controller 392 attracts the magnet 388 of the poppet valve 380 anddraws it upwardly (FIG. 23 ), which opens the outlet 364 of the frothingvessel 360 and allows foam and/or liquid to drain therefrom.

FIGS. 21 and 22 schematically show a frothing tool 344 that may besimilar in structure and function to the frothing tool 44 describedabove; however, the frothing tool 344 is positioned to reside in therear portion of the frothing vessel 360 to avoid interference with thepoppet valve 380.

Operation of the frothing appliance 310 follows a sequence similar tothat of the other frothing appliances 10, 110, 210 described above. Inoperation, a user (such as a barista working in a coffee shop)disengages the frothing vessel 360 and poppet valve 380 from theappliance 310 to fill the vessel 360 with the ingredients to be frothed.The poppet valve 380 is in its lowered position. The vessel 360 isreplaced on the appliance 310. The user places a cup C in the cupholder322 (where it can be detected by the cup sensor 338 (FIG. 19 ). The userthen activates the appliance 310 and, because the cup sensor 338 detectsthe presence of a cup, the ingredients in the frothing vessel 360 arefrothed.

Once frothing is complete, the controller 392 signals the solenoid 390to actuate, which attracts the magnet 388 of the poppet valve 380 anddraws the poppet valve 380 into the raised position (FIG. 23 ) to openthe outlet 364. Foamed liquid in the vessel 360 is free to drain fromthe frothing vessel 360 through the funnel 362 and outlet 364 into thecup C below.

Once the frothed liquid has flowed into the cup C, the user may removethe cup C (which now has a frothed head atop the beverage therein) fromthe cupholder 322. Removal of the cup C is detected by the cup sensor338, which signals the controller 392 to activate the water source toprovide water along a fluid pathway to the vessel 360 in the mannerdescribed above. With the poppet valve 380 in the raised position, watersprayed into the vessel 360 rinses the vessel 360 and drains through theoutlet 364 drains into the cupholder 322, and then drains to an externalwaste water receptacle through a fluid pathway. This action can provideautomated cleaning of the vessel 360. After a preselected duration(e.g., 2 to 5 seconds), the controller 392 deactivates the solenoid 390,which causes the poppet valve 380 to descend (via gravity) to itslowered position. Water continues to flow into the closed vessel 360until it is partially filled. The controller 392 then rotates thefrothing tool 344 to agitate the water in the vessel 360 for morethorough cleaning, after which the controller 392 deactivates thefrothing tool 344 and actuates the solenoid 390 again, causing thepoppet valve 380 to rise to allow the water from the second rinsing todrain into the cupholder 322 and out of the appliance 310. After apreselected duration (e.g., 2 to 5 seconds), the controller 392deactivates the solenoid 390 to allow the poppet valve 380 to descend tothe lowered position. At this point the appliance 310 is ready toperform another frothing operation.

Those of skill in this art will appreciate that the frothing appliance310 may take other forms. For example, the poppet valve 380 may bereplaced with a valve of a different form, such as a pivoting gatevalve. The valve 380 may be driven by a different valve-openingmechanism (e.g., a linkage may be employed to raise and lower thevalve). The valve 380 may be configured to be spring-loaded toward theclosed position (rather than relying on gravity alone to bias the valvetoward the lowered position). Other variations may also be suitable foruse with embodiments of the invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 24 and 25A-C, another frothing appliance,designated broadly at 410, is shown therein. The frothing appliance 410is similar to the appliance 310 described above, with the exception thatcupholder 420 has the capability of being positioned at three differentelevations: a lowered position (FIGS. 24 and 25A) for dispensing foaminto a large cup; an intermediate position (FIG. 2B) for dispensing foaminto a smaller cup; and a raised position (FIG. 25C) for rinsing thefrothing vessel 460 after dispensing.

As shown in FIGS. 24 and 25A-C, the tower 414 of the housing of theappliance 410 includes a vertical slot 417. A drainage segment 424 ofthe cupholder 420 extends through the vertical slot 417. A drainagebasin 425 is located within the tower 416. The drainage basin 425includes an inclined floor 427 that slopes toward the drain line 428.The drainage basin 425 also includes a tall rear wall 429 with shields431 extending forwardly from the side edges of the rear wall 429. Thus,it can be envisioned that, as the cupholder 420 and drainage segment 424rise and descend, the rear wall 429 and shields 431 are located so thatwater exiting the drainage segment 424 will be captured by the drainagebasin 425 and directed to the inclined floor 427, from where it willdrain out of the appliance 420 through the drain line 428. As such, afluid pathway 432 is created that may include the cupholder 420, thedrainage segment 424, the drainage basin 425, and the drain line 428.

In some embodiments, the cupholder 420 may be manually movable betweenthe lowered, intermediate and raised positions. A manually movablecupholder 420 may have a drainage segment 424 that includes features(latches, fingers or the like) that interact with mating features on thewall of the tower 414 (not shown) to enable the cupholder 420 to bemounted at the various elevations. As such, sliding the cupholder 420and drainage segment 424 vertically within the slot 417 can enable theuser to move the cupholder 420 to the desired elevation for dispensing,then move it again for rinsing when dispensing is complete. In someembodiments, the appliance 410 may include a “fail-safe” switch or thelike that prevents the rinsing operations from occurring unless thecupholder 420 is in the raised position.

Alternatively, the frothing appliance 410 may include a mechanismconnected to the controller (not shown) that automatically raises andlowers the cupholder 420 to the desired position. Such a mechanism mayinclude, for example, a linear actuator that has a rail fixed to thetower 414 and a carriage that is slidable on the rail. The carriage maybe fixed to the drainage segment 424. The controller may be operativelyconnected with the linear actuator to automatically drive the drainagesegment 424 and cupholder 420 between the lowered, intermediate andraised positions to perform the dispensing and rinsing functions asdiscussed above.

A frothing appliance that includes both a poppet valve as shown in FIGS.19-23 and a liftable cupholder as in FIGS. 24-25C is shown in FIGS.26-31B and designated broadly at 510. The cupholder (referred to hereinas a cupholder) 520 is movable via a cupholder lifting mechanism 540 toany height/elevation between a lowered position (FIGS. 27A, 28A and 28B)and a raised position (FIGS. 27C and 28D). The lift mechanism 540 isdescribed in detail below.

Referring to FIGS. 26 and 27A, the cupholder lifting mechanism 540includes a motor 542 mounted on a stationary platform 544. The platform544 is mounted near the upper ends of two upright supports 546. Thesupports 546 are spanned by two braces 548. A slide member 550 with tworails 552 is fixed to the braces 548. A carriage 554 is slidably mountedon the rails 552. The cupholder 520 is mounted via its drainage segment524 to the carriage 554. A bearing block 556 with a threaded nut 558fixed thereto extends rearwardly from the carriage 554. A threaded shaft543 extends from the motor 542 through the nut 558 and bearing block556. Thus, when the motor 542 rotates the shaft 543, such rotationdrives the carriage 554 and the cupholder 520 up and down, with thecarriage 554 sliding along the rails 552 of the slide member 550.

Referring to FIGS. 27A-27C and 28A-28D, the cupholder 520 may be drivenby the motor 542 (controlled by a controller 538 shown schematically atFIG. 26 ) between a lowered position, such as that shown in FIG. 28A(with no cup present in the cupholder 520) and FIGS. 27A and 28B (with acup C present in the cupholder 520), and an infinite number of raisedpositions. Exemplary raised positions include those shown in FIGS. 27Band 28C (which show a potential elevation of the cupholder 520 and smallcup for dispensing of foam), and in 27C and 28D (which show a highlyelevated position for rinsing of the frothing vessel 560, the poppetvalve 580 and the cupholder 520, described in greater detail below).

Referring now to FIG. 26 and to FIGS. 29A-29H, the poppet valve 580 andits manner of operation are shown therein. Similar to the poppet valve380 described above, the poppet valve 580 has an upper rod 581, astopper 582, and a lower rod 583. The upper and lower rods 581, 583 areslidably received in upper and lower alignment framework 566, 568 of thefrothing vessel 560 to ensure substantially vertical movement of thepoppet valve 580. The stopper 582 is round, with convex upper and lowersurfaces 585, 587. The stopper 582 is sized to fill and seal the outlet562 of the frothing vessel 560. At its upper end, the poppet valve 580includes a magnet 588 encircled by a shoulder 586.

Referring to FIG. 26 , a valve-opening mechanism 599 includes a motor589 with a shaft 590 having teeth 590 a mounted to the floor 518 a ofthe canopy 518. A toothed bar 591 with teeth 591 a engages the teeth 590a of the shaft 590 and extends generally vertically through a hole 594in a raised hollow boss 592 in the floor 518 a (see also FIG. 29A). Aguide 593 is positioned to support and guide the side edge of thetoothed bar 591 opposite the shaft 590; the guide 593 enables the bar591 to slide vertically relative to the motor 589 and floor 518 a.

Operation of the poppet valve 580 during frothing and rinsing operationscan be understood with reference to FIGS. 29A-29H. FIG. 29A shows thepoppet valve 580 in a lowered position within the vessel 560 so that thestopper 582 is positioned in the outlet 562 of the vessel 560. Fillingof the vessel 560 with ingredients and frothing occur in this position.The motor 589 (controlled by the controller 538) maintains the toothedbar 591 in a raised position. When frothing is complete, the motor 589rotates the shaft 590 to drive the toothed bar 591 downwardly throughthe hole 594 in the raised boss 592 (FIG. 29B). As the lower end of thetoothed bar 591 approaches the magnet 588 at the upper end of the poppetvalve 380, the magnet 588 is attracted to the toothed bar 591, causingthe poppet valve 380 to rise and stick to the lower end of the toothedbar 591 (FIG. 29C). The motor 589 then drives the toothed bar 591 andthe attached poppet valve 580 upwardly, thereby drawing the stopper 582from the outlet 562 and allowing foam to drain through the outlet 562into a cup positioned beneath the outlet 562 on the cupholder 520 (FIG.29D). The gap between the stopper 582 and the outlet 562 is relativelylarge (e.g., ½ to ¾ inch) to permit foam to drain from the outlet 562.

When the foam has been dispensed, the motor 589 continues to drive thetoothed bar 591 upwardly. The shoulder 586 of the poppet valve 580,which contains the magnet 588, contacts the underside of the raised boss592 (FIG. 29E). Because the hole 594 is smaller than the shoulder 586 ofthe poppet valve 580, continued ascension of the toothed bar 591separates the lower end of the toothed bar 591 from the magnet 588 (FIG.29F). Once separated, gravity induces the poppet valve 580 to descend toits lowered position (FIG. 29G), such that the stopper 582 fills theoutlet 562 and no further foam flows through the outlet 562. The motor589 then drives the toothed bar 591 slightly downwardly back to itsoriginal position (FIG. 29H) to await another frothing operation.

Rinsing of the vessel 560 is then carried out in the following manner.Water is released into the vessel 560 with the poppet valve 580positioned to prevent drainage through the outlet 562 of the vessel 560.When the vessel 560 is to be drained of rinse water, the cupholder 520is raised by the motor 542 to a position beneath the vessel 560 (seeFIGS. 31A and 31B). As shown in FIGS. 30A and 30B, the cupholder 520 hasa central post 521 in the center of a concave bowl 522 that feeds intothe drainage section 524. Gussets 523 extend above the upper end of thepost 521 to support surfaces for a cup being filled, and also extendradially inward of the walls of bowl 522, but terminate well short ofthe post 521. Thus, as the cupholder 520 rises to a raised positionbeneath the vessel, the post 521 contacts the lower end of the lower rod583 of the poppet valve 580 and drives the poppet valve 580 slightlyupward (FIG. 31B). The upward movement of the poppet valve 580 creates asmall gap G between the stopper 582 and the outlet 562 of the vessel560. Rinse water travels through the gap G, out of the outlet 562, andinto the bowl 522 of the cupholder 520. From there, the water drainsinto the drainage section 524, then proceeds to a drainage structurelike the drainage basin 325 of FIG. 24 and out of the appliance 510.

In some embodiments, the gap G may be between about 1/16 and ¼ inch(e.g., about ⅛ inch). Such a gap may create a nozzle-like effect forwater flowing through the gap G, which can assist with rinsing. Inaddition, in some embodiments the convex lower surface 587 of thestopper 582 encourages at least some of the rinse water to flow alongthe lower surface 585 rather than descending directly through the outlet562. Such flow can assist in cleaning the lower surface 587 and lowerrod 583 of the poppet valve 580 during rinsing.

When rinsing is complete, the controller 538 signals the motor 542 tolower the cupholder 520 to its lowered position, where it is ready tocommence the next frothing operation.

Also visible in FIGS. 28A-D are four position sensors 600, 602, 604,606. These sensors, which are operatively connected with the controller538, can detect the presence of an object (e.g., a cup), and may beemployed to alert the frothing appliance 510 to (a) the presence of acup in the cupholder 520, and (b) the size/height of the cup. Forexample, an extra large cup may be detected by all four sensors 600,602, 604, 606, a large cup may be detected only by the three lowestsensors 600, 602, 604, a medium cup may be detected by only the twolowest sensors 600, 602, and a small cup may be detected only by thelowest sensor 600. The controller 528 receives the information from thesensors 600, 602, 604, 606 and can then determine how much (if at all)to raise the cupholder 520 to receive foam from the vessel 560 afterfrothing.

As an alternative, the frothing appliance 510 may include fewer sensorsand rely on timing or other parameters to select a height for thecupholder 520. As an example, two sensors may be employed; one of thesemay be deployed in a low position, such that a cup of any size isdetected, and a second of these may be deployed at a position above theheight of the highest cup where the cupholder 520 is to stop. Once thecupholder starts to rise, it will continue to rise until the secondsensor detects its presence, at which time it ceases to rise and is inposition to receive foam from the vessel. Othervariations/sequences/control logic pathways may also be employed.

It also may be noted that in any of the embodiments described above, thecupholder/cupholder may be detachable for easy cleaning.

A further alternative embodiment of a frothing appliance is shown inFIGS. 32A and 32B and designated broadly at 610. The frothing appliance610 is similar to the frothing appliance 510, but includes a drainagebasin 625 that is detachable from the rear wall 616 b of the tower 616and fits within an aperture 630 in the rear wall 616 b. The drainagebasin 625 includes a handle 625 a to assist with removal and insertion.The drainage basin 625 also includes a rear wall 629, shields 631, andfloor 627 that are similar to those of the drainage basin 425. A spigot637 extends from the rear wall 629 and leads to a drain line 628. Acupholder 620 and drainage segment 624 drain into and can be raised orlowered relative to the drainage basin 625.

The drainage basin 625 may be secured to the rear wall 616 b via anyconvenient means, such as latches, a friction fit, screws, or the like.It can be envisioned that a detachable drainage basin may beadvantageous for periodic cleaning of the frothing appliance 610.

Those of skill in this art will appreciate that the drainage basin maybe located elsewhere, or may be formed by other components. For example,a separate, detachable wall or cover may be fitted to the front portionof the tower, and water may drain from the cupholder through thedrainage segment to a space rearward of the cover and into the drainageline. This arrangement enables the cover to be removed and washed asneeded. In this arrangement, the cupholder lifting mechanism may beoffset from center to allow the drainage segment of the cupholder todrain into the aforementioned space rearward of the cover.

Referring now to FIGS. 33A-33C, another frothing appliance, designatedbroadly at 710, is shown therein. The frothing appliance 710 is similarto the frothing appliance 610, but its drainage basin 725 resideslargely rearwardly of the rear wall 716 b of the tower 716. As can beseen in FIG. 33A, the drainage basin 725 includes a rim 725 r thatsurrounds sidewalls 731, a ceiling 733, and a floor 727. The rim 725 rabuts and overlies the rear wall 716 b of the tower 716. The rear wall729 of the drainage basin 725 spans the side walls 731 and protrudesrearwardly with a convex profile. A spout 735 is positioned rearwardlyof the floor 727 and leads to a drainage line 728.

As with the drainage basin 625, the drainage basin 725 is detachable foreasy cleaning. In addition, because drainage into the drainage basinfrom the cupholder 720 and drainage segment 724 occurs rearwardly of therear wall 716 b of the tower 716, there may be less splattering of wastewater into the interior of the tower 716 as it is being drained.

Referring now to FIGS. 34-36C, another frothing appliance, designatedbroadly at 810, is shown therein. The frosting appliance 810 is similarto the frothing appliance 710, in that it includes a frothing tool 844,a vessel 860, and a cup holder 820 (see FIG. 36C) for raising a cup Cand collecting rinse water. However, the frothing appliance 810 includesa valve 880 and an actuating mechanism 890 that differ from thosedescribed above.

Referring to FIG. 35 , the valve 880 includes a stopper 882 and an arm883 that has a finger 884 and two braces 885 that extend between thefinger 884 in the stopper 882. As can be seen in FIG. 36A, the finger884 is disposed at a slight angle to the braces 885. Two posts 886 arereceived in clips 865 that extend from the bottom surface of the vessel860 and define a pivot axis. A spring (not shown) is associated with thevalve 880 to bias the valve toward the closed position of FIGS. 35 and36A.

Still referring to FIG. 35 , the actuating mechanism 890 includes amotor 891 with a toothed shaft 892. The motor 891 is mounted within thetower 16 of the housing 12. An actuating member 894 with a main body 895is mounted to the tower 16 of the housing 12 at a pivot 897. A portionof the surface of the main body 895 is toothed and engages the teeth ofthe shaft 892 Of the motor 891. A finger 896 extends from the main body895.

Referring now to FIG. 36A, therein the valve 880 is shown in its closedposition. In this position, the stopper 882 seals the outlet 864 in thevessel 860 from below. The spring biases the stopper 882 toward thisposition, such that the valve 880 remains closed unless moved by theactuating mechanism 890. In the rest position, the actuating member 894is rotated about the pivot 897 so that the finger 896 extends downwardlyfrom the main body 895. The valve 880 and actuating mechanism 890 remainin this position for all operations in which the frothing appliance 810requires that the vessel 860 be closed.

FIG. 36B illustrates the valve 880 and the actuating mechanism 890 inthe open position. To open the valve 880, the controller of the frothingappliance 810 signals the motor 891 to rotate the shaft 892. Rotation ofthe shaft 892 causes the actuating member 894 to rotate about the pivot897 to raise the finger 896 toward the finger 884 of the valve 880 (suchrotation is clockwise in FIGS. 36A-C). Note that the vessel 860 includesa slot 861 in its lower rim to accommodate the movement of the finger896. The finger 896 of the actuating member 894 engages the lowersurface of the finger 884 of the valve 880 and forces it upwardly. Thismovement rotates the valve 880 about the pivot axis defined by the posts886, which in turn lowers the stopper 882 away from the outlet 864 ofthe vessel 860. Opening of the valve 880 allows the frothing appliance810 to perform operations that require the vessel 860 to drain from itslower end. Such operations may include dispensing of frothed liquid fromthe vessel 860 into a cup C (FIG. 36B), and rinsing the vessel 860 andcollecting the rinse water in a raised cup holder 820 (FIG. 36C).

Those are skill in this art will recognize that the frothing appliance810 may take other forms. For example, the actuating mechanism 890 maybe configured so that the actuating member 894 is connected directly toand fixed relative to the shaft of the motor 891. As another example,the valve 880 may be configured so that it slides relative to the vessel860 for opening and closing rather than relying on a pivoting action.Other possibilities may also be contemplated by those of skill in thisart.

Some embodiments of the present invention are exemplarily describedabove in combination with the accompanying drawings. Those of ordinaryskill in the art to which the present invention belongs shouldunderstand that specific structures shown in the above embodiments aremerely exemplary, rather than limiting. Moreover, those of ordinaryskill in the art to which the present invention belongs can combine avariety of technical features shown above according to a variety ofpossible manners to constitute new technical solutions or make othermodifications, and these new technical solutions are encompassed withinthe scope of the present invention.

That which is claimed is:
 1. An automated self-cleaning frothingappliance, comprising: a housing having a base, a tower extendingupwardly from the base, and a canopy extending generally horizontallyfrom an upper portion of the tower and above the base; a vessel mountedbeneath the canopy, the vessel having an open upper end and an outlet atits lower end; a frothing tool extending from the canopy into thevessel, the frothing tool being operatively connected with a drive unitmounted in the housing; a first fluid pathway in the housing configuredto receive water from a water source and routed to deliver water intothe vessel; a valve positioned to selectively open and close the outletto the vessel; a valve-opening mechanism attached to the housingconfigured to selectively open and close the valve; a drain positionedbeneath the outlet to receive water draining from the outlet; a secondfluid pathway routed from the drain and configured to deliver water toan external waste water receptacle; and a controller that is operativelyconnected with the drive unit, the first fluid pathway and thevalve-opening mechanism.
 2. The automated self-cleaning frothingappliance defined in claim 1, wherein the drive unit comprises a motormounted in the housing.
 3. The automated self-cleaning frothingappliance defined in claim 1, wherein the vessel is removably attachedto the housing.
 4. The automated self-cleaning frothing appliancedefined in claim 3, wherein the valve is attached to the vessel and isremovable with the vessel from the housing.
 5. The automatedself-cleaning frothing appliance defined in claim 4, wherein the vesselhas an oblong cross-section.
 6. The automated self-cleaning frothingappliance defined in claim 5 wherein the outlet is laterally offset fromthe frothing tool.
 7. The automated self-cleaning frothing appliancedefined in claim 3, wherein the valve comprises a stopper that ispositioned in the outlet when the valve is closed and that is raisedabove the outlet when the valve is opened.
 8. The automatedself-cleaning frothing appliance defined in claim 7, wherein the valveincludes an upper end that comprises a magnet, and wherein thevalve-opening mechanism is configured to attract the magnet to raise thevalve from the outlet.
 9. The automated self-cleaning frothing appliancedefined in claim 8, wherein the valve-opening mechanism comprises anactivatable solenoid.
 10. The automated self-cleaning frothing appliancedefined in claim 7, wherein the valve-opening mechanism comprises amember that is lowered to attract the magnet of the valve.
 11. Theautomated self-cleaning frothing appliance defined in claim 1, whereinthe drain is located in the base.
 12. The automated self-cleaningfrothing appliance defined in claim 1, wherein the base includes acupholder for a cup to receive frothed liquid from the vessel.
 13. Theautomated self-cleaning frothing appliance defined in claim 12, whereinthe drain is located in the cupholder.
 14. The automated self-cleaningfrothing appliance defined in claim 13, further comprising a cupholderlifting mechanism mounted to the housing and attached to the cupholderthat is configured to raise and lower the cupholder relative to thebase.
 15. The automated self-cleaning frothing appliance defined inclaim 1, further comprising at least one sensor mounted to the housingto detect the presence of a cup on the cupholder, the at least onesensor being operatively connected with the controller.
 16. Theautomated self-cleaning frothing appliance defined in claim 15, whereinthe at least one sensor is a plurality of sensors mounted to thehousing, wherein the location of the sensors enables the controller todetermine a size of a cup.
 17. The automated self-cleaning frothingappliance defined in claim 14, further comprising a plurality of sensorsmounted to the housing to detect the presence of a cup on the cupholder,the sensors being operatively connected with the controller.
 18. Theautomated self-cleaning frothing appliance defined in claim 12, whereinthe cupholder lifting mechanism, the cupholder and the valve areconfigured such that the cupholder engages the valve to open the outletwhen water is drained from the outlet into the drain.
 19. The automatedself-cleaning frothing appliance defined in claim 1, wherein the vesselis mounted beneath the canopy via one or more magnets.